Pakistan rated most polluted country in 2025
Pakistan was ranked the world’s worst for air quality in 2025, where – along with 129 out of 142 other countries – concentrations of hazardous PM2.5 particles exceeded the recommended WHO level
PARTICULATE SIZE
Human hair
50-70µm
PM10 
Less than 10µm
PM2.5
Less than 2.5µm
Long-term exposure
Heart disease
Lung cancer, COPD*, pneumonia
Stroke
Type 2 diabetes
Adverse birth outcomes
Reduced lung function and development in children
Small particles inhaled deep into lungs, can even enter bloodstream
*Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Includes: Sulfates, nitrates, ammonium, carbon
Sources: Vehicle/industrial emissions, wood and coal burning
Dust storms, wildfires
MOST POLLUTED COUNTRIES
N’Djamena
Papeete
Kinshasa
Brasília
Panama City
Bridgetown
Tallinn
Reykjavík
Wellington
Canberra
San Juan
Dhaka
Dushanbe
New Delhi
Cities
Cleanest
Most polluted
Nouméa
>50
<5
PM2.5 concentration µg/m3
Sources: IQAir, Reuters
Picture: Wikimedia Commons
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